Use and Care Manual

PREPARATION

There is really no right or wrong way to prepare your food for drying. By following these few

guidelines, success will be yours.

Pre-treatment

Pretreating food is not an essential procedure when using your Excalibur® Food Dehydrator.

There are basically two types of pre-treatment, dipping and blanching. The fast drying times

and controlled conditions under which your unit operates dries food before it has a chance

to spoil. However, pretreating will help maintain:

• Color:

reduces oxidation of foods such as apples and potatoes keeping them from

turning a rust-like color.

• Nutrients: helps retain the minimal loss which tends to occur during the drying process.

• Texture: the chance for fiber deterioration in the produce is lessened.

There are basically two types of pre-treatment: dipping and blanching.

Dipping

Dipping is a treatment used primarily to prevent fruits or vegetables from oxidizing. The

following are various pre-treatment dips with which you may want to experiment.

• Sodium Bisulfite: When mixed with water, sodium bisulfite is a liquid form of sulfur. It is

the most effective and least expensive anti-oxidant. Use only a food-safe grade of sodium

bisulfite that is made especially for dehydration. Sodium Bisulfite is available

directly through Excalibur®.

If subject to sulfur allergic reactions, check with your physician before using Sodium Bisulfite

as a dip.

• Fruits: Mix 1 1/2 tablespoons of Sodium Bisulfite in one gallon of water. Soak

fruit slices for five minutes and halved fruit for fifteen minutes. Rinse.

• Vegetables: Recommended for steam blanching only. Add 1 teaspoon Sodium

Bisulfite to each cup of steaming water and blanch as you would normally. This is particularly

recommended for vegetables to be stored in excess of three months.